‘Disgrace’ not to make police priority for jab
A police officers’ representative has branded the government’s decision not to give officers priority for the Covid-19 vaccine “disgraceful”.
Adam Commons, Leicestershire Police Federation chairman, pictured, said the snub was “unacceptable” and left officers, their families and the public they serve at risk.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Downing Street press conference on Monday that officers will not be vaccinated until after groups one to nine, as designated by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which means they will have to wait for 32 million others to get the jab first.
Mr Commons said: “Our job so often comes down to running into unknown situations.
“Officers are now doing it wearing PPE and facing people increasingly weaponising the virus, spitting and coughing at our protectors, who then have to go home to their loved ones not knowing if they could be passing the virus on.
“There have been examples across the country of face masks being pulled off police officers when they’re struggling with people, because we can’t always socially distance due to the nature of our job.
“This back door announcement by the government is not acceptable – it’s a disgrace.”
The federation, chief police officers, Met Commissioner and the College of Policing had all lobbied for officers to be given the vaccine as a priority
Boris Johnson said last month that police officers should be vaccinated “as soon as possible”, while Home Secretary Priti Patel told policing to “get ready” for officers to receive the vaccine.
Mr Hancock said: “We have ensured, through the clinical advice we’ve taken, that the vaccine rollout goes through those who are most at risk first.
“So any police officer who is aged over 50 will be part of the initial rollout through the current groups down to what I call the JCVI cohorts one to nine.
“After that we will then look at what order we go next and we’ll consider, for instance, questions of people who are in professions where you might have to be in contact with more people and the impact of the vaccine on transmission and make a decision and publicise it as soon as we’ve made that decision.
“No decision has yet been made in what order we’ll go after the JCVI cohorts one to nine, but we’re looking very closely, including at where police officers should be.”
Mr Commons said: “I am incredibly disappointed in the comments from the Health Secretary.
“I have been very vocal about this from early on, as have my fellow chairmen from other branches and it’s clear we have the support of the public.”
“In Leicestershire our Chief Constable, Simon Cole, has been very supportive of our drive to get this done, as has the police and crime commissioner, Lord (Willy) Bach. Unfortunately, the people that make the decisions in government can’t seem to decide what to do.
“My colleagues have been out there from day one, enforcing the government’s vague legislation, often being publicly crucified for doing so. It’s time for the government to wake up and listen to us.
“I’m tired of seeing the nice compliments of how they think we are doing a fantastic job, only for us to be ignored time and again.
“The support is there, this isn’t controversial.
“Stop the rhetoric, get my colleagues on the list and start giving them the protection they need and deserve to protect themselves and by extension their families.”
OFFICERS’ REP CONDEMNS DECISION BY MATT HANCOCK